The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-12-21
SOMERSET. PA. WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER q. 1887

F7aA-it tilN-s~- tftt -ttfttfif+t = -rttft-t-
idesn ON the s,a'li lakes in our Genital
Pafk some Yantee sle~perst-gy hungry
sor tols.tv,e invented thefu issr sading
wfta the Johnnies. They we're bid away
unsier fhr hanks Of the river for suecps--
ise relays of picketS-
We got ont the boats An ola hand
keTehief answered fay a ssil We loaded
them witll coffee, susar. pork. and 81 the
sail, and watched tbcm slowly creep 10
the other shore.
And the JoAnnies ? To see them crowd
the bank, end pash ana scHmbie To be
! hrstto seizr the boats. going into the wa
ter, sud stretching ont their long arms
Then when they pulled the boats ashore
and stood in a group over the cargo, and
To hear their ordinations
Hnrrah for hog"
Say, thafs not roasted ryey, but gen
uiue coffee. Smeli..t, you-ans.
And segir, too.
Then they divided the consignment
They laughed aud shouted
tReckon y0u-uus been good 70 we-uns
tins Christmas Day Yanks
Then they pat parched corn tobacco,
ripe persinimons, insothe boats, and sent
them back to u.s. And We chewei the
parebesl corn, smoked real Virginia leaf
ate persinmous which, If they weren't
very filing, al least contracted cur stoni-
acns to the size Of oar Christmas dinner
And 50 the day passed We shouted:
Merry Christmas. johnny
They shouted, Slme 70 you, Yank"
And we forgot the biting wind. the
chilling cold we forgot those men over
there were our enemies, whom it might
be our duty To shoot before evening
We had bridget the rivef-spnned
the bloody chssIn. We we're brothers.
bot foes. waving salutations of good viii
in the name of the Babe OF Bethlehem,
on Christmas Day. o. AT thevery front
Of the opposing armies the Christ Child
struck a tr1Ire for us-broke down the
wsll Of partition, became our peace. We
exchanged gifts we shouted greetings
back and forth; we kept Christmas. and
our he4uts we're lighter for il, and our
slieeriug bodies were not quite 81 cold.
Go thou aud DO likewise-prish no po.lr
debtor, prosecute no quarrel bear 10
grulge at Christmas-tine forgive your
enemies. remember your merries, and DO
not brood over your misfortHnes st
Christmss time Ifthe tilnesare hand DO
not let the children know it, or Lazarus
on your doorstep become aware 81 il, at
Christmas time, to bis deeper despair.
Cannot YOU be cheerful and brave hs
your Gresides, as We sli,licrs were on the
Rdppahannock on Christmas Day in 90,
Shouting aood wills to reheis ou Tie OPP
ia1site shore? Let IT, AZ shake ha,4is or
Ciristaas Day. let Us ail toucb elbows.
an share with oar neiZhoer who ueee.s
IS most Then make trsce Nifh enc
r4es. wilh care, With fears with tears
and SORROW and lei JOY Re unconiined on
Christmas Day Let jaS,ios soften into
iaerey. Les hate not hariea into wrong.
but be Transformed into love Let anger
cease, let wrath be forgotten, let quarrels
be reconciied.
Le, Charity dispense bounty. Let the
rich man love the poor Let the lsp o.
childhood be dlle,i With plenty Let al
gappahanHocSs Of estrangenent, separa-
ton. bitterness, unequal lots. opposing
interests, be bridged by the Babe OF
Bethlehem on Christmas DIvof 81. AMI
e be We kind one tosnother. .teuder-heagt-
81. forgiving one another even a. Sod for
Christ's sake hath forgiven YOU There,
am preaching again, in secular Jour
nal OF Civilization Yet I can't help it.
Thi- Christ born me has thrown off and
lef1 behind the other ine, the old af who
followed Grant AMI Hancock 30 Rich-
mond in the Wild. mad days ofhis turbu-
lent youth. have taken or that lt'lei
6lue jicket. aud can stretch iny arms /
have unbuekled that worn belt, and can
breathe freely Come, jacket come
sword-hang again on tie wall. Gou
are my old me but the present, real me
Is d man # peare and acqusinted with
grief not 50 happy as saint as he was
a. soldier. bot still trying to get his
work in. since God didn't send for him
at Gettysburg.